Weirdest Bass EVER? Tonika (Soviet Era USSR)

We're taking an early model Tonika bass for a spin! Stay tuned for one of the most fascinating designs ever to be released from the Soviet block back when the Cold War was in full swing!

[@konkr_5891]

All electronics for USSR guitars were produced in military factories or factories for the space industry. That's why all potentiometers are so atypical and huge

[@breilly66]

Did not know that! But it definitely explains that overbuilt military grade switch.

[@stephencook7720]

They are a gas and a half to start in roughly destroyed shape and try to bring back to playable, though it takes serious time. I have a functional Russian Elta, a functional GDR Musima Deluxe 25 with 51P-bass pickups, a Jolana Basso IX, started as a broken body husk, now has a Kahler slanted bridge, Alumitone J pickups, 3 piece 3 color stacked plexi pickguard, Buick Skylark Blue paint with a clear colorshift overcoat (paid for the paint job), with an intact flourescent orange period correct form fit vinyl gig bag - eye abuse radical and sounds well. A destroyed Tonika being rebuilt, doing a neck swap with a 1970's Matsumoku neck, black pickguard, black body (that crazy super thick crackly gel paint) black HW (Fender style bridge, dome knobs) - gnarly. A once destroyed Jolana Iris bass (think Tele) rebuilt with 3D printed pickup covers. And lastly, a destroyed Bulgarian Orpheus Hebros semi hollow, red burst natural relic, uncertain if this one can be brought back. The GDR bass is definitely stage quality, along with the Jolanas to a lesser extent. Fun stuff if you like a challenge and want to learn on something more than a partscaster.

[@gorod-kha]

2:59 As far as I can tell, there is not a single guitar in this photo that was made in the USSR. They are all either from the GDR or Czechoslovakia. On the left it is easy to recognize Jolana Basso IX (Czechoslovakia). Whenever possible, Soviet musicians bought guitars made not in the USSR, but at least in the Eastern Bloc countries (GDR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria). Guitars from Western countries were not officially supplied to the USSR, and Eastern European ones could sometimes be bought even in a store (rarely, through acquaintance and at a speculative price).

[@kb7yqx]

Nicely done - and an intelligent discussion on the Tonika bass! I've been through a major fascination with Tonikas, Urals, Aelitas, and other Soviet / USSR guitars - and it's as though the electric guitar world went down a totally different wormhole. Are they awful? Well, yeah... Are they cool? YEAH!

[@breilly66]

Exactly!

[@jfiery]

Congrats on reaching the Milestone. It is an accomplishment for sure and I love the channel man.

[@breilly66]

Thanks so much J! Too kind! 😊 🙏

[@ramsilva]

Man, what a cool-looking freak of nature (the bass is nice too). Haha I know, I’m dumb Dude, you did it! Officially 1K+ Your guitar knowledge is impressive but more than that, your presentation of the facts is captivating. Even if you made it all up, it would be worth it to tune into your talks. This bass’s sound reminds me of a recent JHS video where Josh shows off a guitar with a rubber bridge. It’s like the opposite of the never-ending tone quest. An instrument that produces pure lofi tones definitely has its place. Here’s to another K and many more videos in between 🍻

[@breilly66]

Dude, exactly! We get towards perfect and stare longingly at broken Sears guitars. Lol Thanks for your support Man. I always appreciate your input on these. Right from the start. Plenty of videos coming. :)

[@byteseeker-fo9in]

Thank you for the honest review. I was wondering why they were so cheap on ebay and almost never had all the strings on them. Now I know. It looks like replacing stuff and hippy machining jobs to get it zoned into a stable pro instrument. I wish I had the time.

[@breilly66]

Yeaa. They do need a fair bit of fettling to get right. Glad it was helpful tho!

[@jessicahayden1415]

Guitars are like people the weird ones aren't always really that bad they just need a little TLC.

[@breilly66]

Absolutely. And what good is a world without weird anyway?

[@BavarianM]

Soviets being soviets I’d try and mount the plate from the old Din plug on top of the new jack to hide the holes

[@breilly66]

Dude.... that is a very rad idea. Also, I see you are afflicted by Bavarian conveyances. E39?

[@gorod-kha]

The multi-pin connector is not a Soviet development, but a German one: DIN - Deutsches Institut für Normung. The strange pickup switch has an analogue on American guitars - there it is called a varitone (look at Gibson B.B. King Lucille). The knobs on your exemplar are not original - they were transferred from the East German "Musima" guitar. They should have rubber rims on them - they are missing on your exemplar.

[@breilly66]

Thanks for the data my friend! Being over in the states, information on these is hard to find. Appreciate you! I knew the multi pin was a German design from when I repaired Blaupunkt hi fis. Figured it was adapted industrially after the split of mid century Germany. But that's all I knew on that!

[@gorod-kha]

@@breilly66 When I said that this guitar had East German knobs, I got a little carried away. They are indeed very similar, but still they are Soviet. The fact is that guitars were made in several factories in different cities, and each factory made them a little differently. Your copy was produced at the factory in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg). The telescopic design of the strap fastening is also a feature of guitars from this factory.

[@TheTwangKings]

Not contrary at all to Western designs - check out Mosrite, Vox, Eco and Teisco guitars. They took the designs from The Flintstones or Jetsons. They tried to be modern and futuristic. That was the trend in the 60s.

[@breilly66]

Indeed. Very googie and forward look. But still however, the story goes that they were directed in a most confusing way.

[@jcmfmncjjc125]

I played Ural 510 a lot and tried this alot

[@breilly66]

How were they? Pretty easy to play?

[@neonpalmfilms8975]

@@breilly66 easy? not at all, ahaha. the gap between strings and neck is huge. the neck is heavy and really fat, but I still love it's design.

[@josephr9930]

Wonder how this thing and I empahsize the word thing found itself in California?

[@breilly66]

I know right? Just on the wind of chance!

[@josephr9930]

@@breilly66 You wonder how rock and roll might have changed Russia if it permeated the culture earlier. Putin could have channeled his rage into punk music.

[@breilly66]

@@josephr9930 That man definitely needed the rock! Too bad he's a hateful old codger!